Advisor Studio: Natalie Metzger (THUNDER ROAD) on Finding and Building a Successful Production Crew
About this Advisor Studio
In Advisor Studio sessions, Sundance Collab Advisors share field experiences and insights into their specific areas of craft, including writing, directing and producing for TV and film.
As filmmakers, it’s important to have the right collaborators around you who support your vision and contribute to a positive and productive work environment. In this intimate conversation, award-winning producer, director, and writer Natalie Metzger (WEREWOLVES WITHIN, THE WOLF OF SNOW HOLLOW, THUNDER ROAD) guides us through how to find and build a successful production crew and to cultivate collaborative relationships that could last a lifetime. We discuss how to source the right crew for your budget size, techniques for interviewing candidates and negotiating rates and the red flags to look out for when forming a team. Metzger also shares best practices for establishing a safe and respectful culture on set and her tips for how to navigate conflict or terminate a professional relationship when necessary.
This recording is open to all members, thanks to the Utah Film Commission.
This event is co-presented by the Utah Film Commission, which has helped thousands of projects film in the state, including many Sundance Institute supported projects. From the beginning, our locations, professional crew, and industry have left their mark on the unique stories that unfold in Utah. We're proud to be a supporter of two of Natalie Metzger's recent projects, THE WOLF OF SNOW HOLLOW, and currently in production, CALIFORNIA KING. Visit our website to learn more about our state’s resources.
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Natalie Metzger
Advisor
Natalie Metzger is an award-winning producer, director, and writer, who explores the dark, surreal side of human nature with her visually rich and thoughtful work.
She is a Spirit Award nominated producer whose credits include the upcoming WEREWOLVES WITHIN (which will be premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival and distributed by IFC Films), THE BETA TEST (Berlin Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival), THE WOLF OF SNOW HOLLOW (MGM/Orion), GREENER GRASS (Sundance Film Festival), THUNDER ROAD (Grand Jury Award - SXSW), THE ROBBERY (Sundance Film Festival), MATPAT’S GAME LAB (Streamy Award), and Lil Dicky’s FREAKY FRIDAY (over 664 million views), among numerous others. Metzger is currently in post-production on a new sci-fi series as well as Yogi Berra documentary IT AIN’T OVER.
Metzger's feature writing/directing credits include LGBTQ sports documentary ALONE IN THE GAME (AFI Docs, Outfest) and healthcare documentary SPECIAL BLOOD, which won the Dolores Huerta Award for Best Director at Long Beach Indie Festival and Best Feature Documentary at California Women’s Film Festival. She was also selected for CoverFly’s Endorsed Writers Program and for Eastern Oregon’s Filmmaker Residency. Her feature script IMMORTAL won the Gold Prize at the Page International Screenwriting Awards, was a finalist in the Nashville Film Festival Screenwriting Competition and a semifinalist in Screencraft’s Drama Competition, and is on the top 10 sci-fi of Coverfly’s Red List.
She has directed numerous award-winning commercials and short films, including a short film adaptation of IMMORTAL, which won Best Narrative Short at Eastern Oregon Film Festival, Best Set Design at Trans Stellar Film Festival, and screened at 17 film festivals including the Oscar-Qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival and psa TOPLESS WOMEN TALK NFL which was featured in the Washington Post and Huffington Post and won an Aurora Award (Platinum Best of Show) and a Telly Award.
Metzger holds a Master of Fine Arts from California Institute of the Arts and is a Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Emory University, where she received the Sudler Award in the Arts and the Pioneer Award. www.nataliemetz.com